I don’t remember at what point I started to buy T Rex albums I feel sure it wasn’t “Ride a White Swan” that got me thinking I needed to buy something, anything! - I think I “Hot Love” was the song that did it, but couldn’t get the single. It could have been an album called Hot Love** which was a compilation of Tyrannosaurus Rex and early T Rex that I got first.. BUT did not have “Hot Love" on it (I would have been about 13 and was ignorant of such matters regarding what was on the LP) I think it wasn’t an official release and was very cheap, it had a Purple cover.. There was a “Best of T Rex” issued 1971 but don’t think it was that!

Anyway I was a bit miffed but found myself enchanted by Marc and his guitar playing - OK he wasn’t Eric Clapton but it sounded fine to me I think I then got Electric Warrior after loving Jeepster and Get it on! Bolan Boogie which was another Compilation this one on the Fly Label and there was more Tyrannosaurus Rex as well as T Rex. At this point I started to investigate the early Tyrannosaurus Rex by buying the First 4 albums released over a period of just 2 years and each one moving further away from the folk of the first (of 2) 1968 releases “My People were fair.. etc” to the point where Unicorn had “Electric Guitars” of course I KNEW what was coming.. but I also loved lots of that folky Tolkeinesque material too and the development of the Electric Guitar into the songs

After getting Slider and Tanx I decided to try out the album I didn’t have T Rex the 5th release and the second in 1970, of course i knew some of the stuff from prior Compilations and it included One Inch Rock (a thinly veiled attack on Germaine Greer) which had been a Double A or B side with Debora - albeit a reworked version

T Rex was the First album by the abbreviated band name and was actually a band rather than Marc and Steve Peregrine Took or and Micky Finn (on Bongos percussion etc) the band consisted of (for this album)

Mr Baker became well known as a producer with Queen amongst others
Howard & Mark were vocalists with 1960s Beat combo The Turtles and had done some vocals with Frank Zappa (as the as Phlorescent Leech & Eddie) their fantastic backing vocals were a feature of the T Rex sound until Tanx really they then went on to record as Flo and Eddie a comic musical duo!

The album is the Final chapter and the open book from acoustic to Rock albeit this one is a very gentle one in the main with lots of lilting harmonies and tunes but with some rockier moments (Jewel For example)

The chosen song is shown as 2:01 so controversy but the album timing is 1:59 intact there is a second or so gap before the song starts (so there!) The song actually goes against what I said earlier this has some lovely guitar strumming interspersed with violins and bass

The lyrics probably complete tosh but it mattered not and still doesn’t. I grew to love the T Rex album and i rate it highly in competition with Electric Warrior for his best album its different and “Warrior” is another step towards a proper group/glam rock and all that

** edit.. it was actually Called Ride A White Swan it was a Music For Pleasure Album and cost 49p it is an excellent intro to Pre 1970 T Rex and the whole thing is available on U-Tube (link in the comments below) - Many Thanks to @ErnieBilko for putting me straight on the Lp title!